A STORY FOR McCALL

McCall Public Library, McCall, Idaho
2024
inset carved low-relief cork panels, etched glass, 8 carved panels and 7 etched glass panels
26’ x 13’

"A Story for McCall" was commissioned by the city of McCall, Idaho for the public library renovation project  The artwork consists of a series of eight hand-carved individual mural panels which are architecturally integrated into recesses we had specifically built into the back wall of the central staircase of the library. The imagery used in each of the hand-carved murals is based on community outreach and input. Community members asked us to represent examples of the wildlife that surrounds their town as well as historical images of the forestry industry and cultural imagery that represents members of their Nez Perce community. We worked with community members by holding information gathering sessions in the library to zero in and find source material for these hand carved and painted panels.

We also partnered with the Heritage Program Manager from the U.S. Forest Service to connect with artists and linguists from the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) community to include their language, ideas, work, and imagery in the library--we all worked together to present their work in a way that is situated in the present rather than being merely artifacts showcased from the past. This is important as the library and the city are sited on the lake and the land which has a long history and future in the culture of the indigenous peoples of the region.